


The Declaration

by JollyCat



Series: Paper Games [4]
Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 12:00:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4918726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JollyCat/pseuds/JollyCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sean makes a suggestion to Nick - but will Nick agree? And is there another route for Sean into public life?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Declaration

Nick is at his desk, writing a report while he waits for Hank to get back from Evidence. He can't really keep his mind on what he's doing though because his thoughts keep turning back to Sean's suggestion from the night before. Oh, he can understand why Sean wants to do it, and, now that it's been suggested, really wants to do it himself, if he's honest. But...the mere thought of actually ... well, it's making him squirm slightly in his seat. If he turns his head he can make out the outline of Sean sitting at his desk. Nick wonders what the colleagues around him would think if they knew what their Captain and Detective Nicholas Burkhardt were planning on doing.

Nick writes another ten words of his report but it's no good, he's going to have to look at it again. He opens his drawer and lifts out the envelope lying there. With a cautious glance round (no sign of Hank coming back yet) he takes out the sheet of paper. At the top of the page it says:

_Portland Police Department_

_Declaration of Interests/Relationships_

_(Form 14/375D)_

_This form should be used to notify PPD of:_

_a) Any employment (temporary or permanent) in addition to your employment with PPD (civilian employees only)_

_b) Voluntary/ unpaid work with another organisation which might be prejudicial/conflict of interest with PPD_

_c) Any relationship with an individual or organisation outside PPD which might be prejudicial/conflict of interest with PPD._

_d) Any relationship with a superior officer/subordinate within your line of command._

They've covered all bases there, thinks Nick. He distracts himself for a few moments with the forms they should clearly have filled in earlier:

'Det. N. Burkhardt, voluntary/unpaid work - Grimm, Wesen control and/or liaison.'

'Capt. S. Renard, relationship outside PPD - Royal Family (Prince, illegitimate); voluntary work - Verrat Resistance against same Royal Family.'

Actually things have been thankfully quiet on the Royal front lately. Sean says there is some confusion over the succession (the details have passed Nick by) but that the further he, Sean, is from the throne the safer he will be.

Nick can't avoid the category they're really looking at though: d) aforementioned Det. N. Burkhardt and Capt. S. Renard, who have shared a bed every night for the past month, had a lot of truly amazing sex, told each other things they have never told another person and have started to say the word 'love' on a regular basis. And now Sean wants to make it official.

 

The night before they had both worked late. Before climbing into their separate vehicles they'd agreed to go for dinner at an Italian place nearby, one they both like although they hadn't been together before. At first Sean had been in an unusually buoyant good mood. Nick has already worked out that Sean's long legs give him an unfair advantage in any number of situations but sitting at their table in a quiet corner, he hadn't minded at all that those legs had stretched out either side of his own, enjoyed the contact. He had been telling Sean some story of his day, playing it up for comedy, and Sean had reached out, taken his hand - and Nick had snatched his hand away, looking round the restaurant to see if anyone had noticed as he did so...

They still head back to Sean's place (really it might as well be Nick's place too for the number of times he's been back to his apartment) but he can tell Sean is hurt. He's poured himself a drink without asking Nick if he wants one and now he's standing looking out at the night, still in full suit-and-tie armour. Nick can see Sean's face reflected in the window, remote, distant. He decides attack is the best means of defence. He walks up to Sean,

"I'm sorry. I want to touch you all the time, I want you to touch me all the time, but I suddenly thought, guys from work go to Emilio's, what if someone sees us? Given all the things we've done over the last few years it would be totally ridiculous to get kicked off the force for holding hands with an officer under your command in public."

Sean's mouth relaxes very slightly,

"They would probably only discipline me rather than kick me straight off."

"Exactly my point. Wu would kill me if I got you suspended."

Nick takes the glass from Sean's hands, puts it down and wraps his arms round Sean, under his jacket so that he can feel the warmth of his body. After a second Sean's arms come up round him and Sean tucks Nick's head under his chin. Four weeks ago this position would have bothered Nick, now he just gets in as close as he can.

He can tell the exact moment when Sean relaxes, the exact moment when he starts to be aware in a different way of Nick's body. Nick tilts his head up to be kissed.

When the kiss finally breaks apart, Nick opens his mouth to say something more but Sean stops him, sliding his hands down Nick's arms and chest,

"This first, talk later."

They make it up the staircase, into the bedroom and onto the big bed. Nick had always thought he had an okay sex life but nothing had quite prepared him for the last few weeks. Sometimes they have gone at it so hard and strong that several items of clothing and at least one piece of furniture have had to go in the trash, sometimes it's been so slow and gentle it has felt like floating. They've made out on the couch for hours and done it fast and almost fully clothed against the kitchen counter. Nick has crossed lines he never, ever thought to cross and enjoyed every second.

It's normally Sean who sets the pace, choreographs their dance, but tonight Nick wants to show Sean just what he means to him. He wants to take Sean past the small pain that Nick caused, make him forget it completely in the pleasure he gives him and so Nick kisses and strokes and licks and sucks and moves until Sean barely remembers anything at all except how to say Nick's name.

A little later Nick is sprawled mostly on top of Sean and is idly wondering if he should move or stay where he is. It really is amazingly comfortable, Sean's arms are round him and if he just turns his head he can nibble at the corner of Sean's neck. He feels Sean hold him a little tighter, take a deeper breath,

"Nick, I don't want this to be something else I have to lie about. There is so much. That conversation about going into politics I told you about? I started thinking about what I'd need to make sure stayed secret and gave up when I got to twenty items. Hell, even my birth certificate and passport aren't entirely true. I want to have one thing - especially something that matters so much - that I don't have to conceal. I know you feel embarrassed about it -"

Nick lifts his head, interrupts, upset, "No, Sean, not embarrassed. That sounds like I'm ashamed of you, of this and I'm not. 'Awkward' maybe, but not embarrassed. I've nearly driven Monroe mad because every other sentence I say starts 'Sean'. I do want people to know and I don't want you to have to lie. I just feel...awkward. And what about work - I mean if they find out, won't they separate us? Send me off to a different precinct?"

"No, I don't think they'll separate us, as it happens there is a precedent - and if anyone tries to I have some ammunition to change their minds. It would also put Hank and Wu in less of a difficult position."

Nick has to see the truth of that.

"So what do you want to do?"

"I want to officially say we're in a relationship. There's a declaration we fill in." 

******

Nick and Hank are in the car, discreetly parked across from the gym that they are watching, and waiting for a skalengeck to show up. They have been here a little over an hour and Hank is telling Nick in some detail about his date the previous night. Stake-outs are why detectives know their partners so well.

Hank knows about Sean and Nick. He was there when they realised how they felt about each other and it was Hank who got them (along with Monroe, which Monroe says was _weird_ ) discreetly out of the way when the patrol cars turned up. He has also regularly dropped Nick off after work at the intersection one block from Sean's house and then picked him up again the following morning. Despite this Nick and Hank have not talked directly about it at all, have taken complex conversational detours to avoid making Hank's knowledge of the situation undeniable. Maybe Sean is right, time for this to change.

"Sean wants to tell the department we're together. He says he doesn't want to have to lie about yet another thing and it's not fair to you and Wu to have to pretend you don't know. Apparently we fill in a form."

Hank makes a slightly strangled sound but, to his credit, recovers quickly.

"So you and the Captain are really serious about this?"

"Yeah, we are."

"And it's not some weird spell or potion?"

"No, definitely not."

"And it's making you both feel good?

"Absolutely."

"And you and the Captain are having all-the-way-sex?"

Nick takes a deep breath, "Yeah, we are."

"Jeez, I have to tell you that I am struggling to imagine that."

"Well don't try!"

"Nick, trust me, everyone who reads this form you're going to fill in will be trying to imagine it."

"Sean says he's going to take them direct to the chief."

"Well then the chief will be trying to imagine it."

"Hank, you are so not helping."

A black truck draws up outside the gym,

"Come on Nick, let's go do some work. And I'm glad you're happy."

*****

There is no sign of Sean back at the precinct, his office dark, but Nick doesn't think too much about it at first. After he and Hank finish up he sends Sean a message to say he's done for the day and then goes to Monroe and Rosalee's, has dinner with them. As he's helping Monroe carry the dishes through to the kitchen his phone beeps. The message from Sean reads:

_Sorry, but I will be late. Some family business has come up. Keep the bed warm._

Family business. Nick really hopes that doesn't mean who he thinks it does.

When he gets to Sean's he does as he's told and gets in the big bed by himself. It takes a while to get to sleep without the warm body next to him and he uses the time to do some thinking. He moves across to Sean's side of the bed, Sean's pillow and finally falls asleep. He sleeps so soundly that he's alarmed when he wakes up the following morning, still alone. He reaches for his phone, there's another message.

_May not make it home tonight, will explain when I see you. Soon, I hope._

Nick gets another brief message but it's late afternoon before Sean appears at the precinct. He sweeps through to his office, the lights go on but he doesn't open the blinds. Hank raises an eyebrow at Nick, Nick shrugs, he doesn't know what's going on but he's not leaving until Sean comes out of that office.

The door doesn't open until late. By that time the big room is deserted, Nick alone at his desk - he's got all his paperwork done at least. Sean looks startled to see him.

"I thought you would have gone by now."

"I wanted to wait for you. That bed's too big for one person to warm."

Sean's lips quirk, "And don't I know that."

They walk down to the parking garage shoulder to shoulder, Nick climbs into the passenger seat of Sean's big SUV and they head for home.

***** 

"So, I'm guessing 'family business' meant Royal family business? I was hoping they were going to stay well away. What did they want?"

They are sitting either end of the couch, facing each other, legs comfortably intermingled.

"It wasn't a member of the family who contacted me, it was someone I couldn't ignore. He helped me and my mother get away, his son was a friend."

Sean reaches into his briefcase, on the floor next to him, "It was all about this."

'This' is a sheet of paper, rolled not folded. It's very heavy paper, cream colored. It reminds Nick of the paper in the oldest of the Grimm books. He unrolls it. The writing is in German, in that heavy script and there's red wax at the bottom with a seal mark, a date and a flamboyant signature. At the top is a word written in larger letters.

"What does 'Erklärung' mean?"

"It means 'statement' or, in this context, 'declaration'."

Nick has a feeling he isn't going to like this declaration as much as the one folded in his jacket pocket. He looks back at the paper,

**Erklärung**

**Ich, Frederick, König und Träger der Kronenberg-Krone, erkenne Sean Renard als meinen rechtmäßigen Sohn von königlichem Geblüt an. Fortan wird er seinen rechtmäßigen Platz in der Thronfolge einnehmen und, im Falle meines Todes und dem Tod meines Erben, Kronprinz Eric Renard, den Thron als mein Nachfolger übernehmen.**

Well, he can make out the names, Sean's and his father's and his brother's, and 'sohn', that must be son.

"What's it say?"

Sean sighs, he obviously doesn't need to look at the document to remember its content,

"It says, 'I, Frederick, King and Bearer of the Kronenberg crown, acknowledge Sean Renard as my lawful son of Royal blood. Henceforth he will assume his rightful place in the succession and, in the event of my death and the death of my heir, Crown Prince Eric Renard, will assume the throne as my successor.' In essence, it legitimizes me."

Nick looks at Sean, looks at the paper. Legitimize is one thing - it hardly matters in normal life these days, but Nick is aware that Sean has been called a bastard enough times for it to be at least a sore point. 'Succession', though and 'throne', they are a whole other ball game. And what is it with this Royal blood thing?

"And the rest of it? Is it real? What did this guy who contacted you actually want?"

"Yes, I think it's real, although it was certainly never officially enacted. There are people who are not happy about what is happening with the succession. Their plan, such as it is, is that as I have every bit as much Royal blood as Eric ever did and a document that proves my father's wishes were that I could succeed, I should make a bid for the Kronenberg crown."

Nick opens and shuts his mouth several times before managing to speak.

"But, but surely it doesn't work like that? I mean, apart from anything else, you live in Portland, you're a US citizen - are you even allowed to be King of somewhere else?" He feels oddly panicky because even though this sounds ridiculous, there's a tiny part of him that can almost imagine a crown on Sean's head, maybe even a sword in his hand. 

"Nick, once people become obsessed by an idea they tend to forget the practicalities, all they see is the end result they want. That's what I've been doing the last twenty four hours - putting out the fires, trying to make some people see a little sense and making sure that document was in my hands. Trust me, I have no interest in what these people are offering."

Nick looks again the paper, "I am very pleased to hear it. Apart from anything else, if you were King what the hell would my job title be?"

Sean smiles and holds his hand out for the document, stands up and walks to the kitchen. Nick follows him and watches as he lights a corner of the paper and then goes to hold it over the sink, letting the ashes drop. The thick paper takes a while to burn, the letters only gradually being eaten up. Oddly the last word to disappear is 'König'.

Sean turns on the faucet, washes the ashes down the sink. He decides he won't tell Nick that there would have been at least two copies of a document like this. He'll deal with that, if needed, later.

Nick meanwhile has gone to his jacket and now stands in front of Sean.

"I thought while we're dealing with paperwork you might as well have this." Nick holds out the completed PPD declaration and Sean takes it. Nick suddenly feels nervous, watching for the moment when Sean realises there are two pieces of paper, not one.

"I thought maybe I could do the other one while I was at it, I mean, if it's okay with you."

Sean looks at the second sheet of paper. At the top of the page it says:

_Portland Police Department_

_Notification of Change of Address_

_(Form 12/144A)_

And underneath this is Nick's name and Sean's, no, their address.

**Author's Note:**

> Nick's mental image of Sean as King was inspired by the fan art that Sasha Roiz himself says is a favourite, http://t.co/m8Pne3pW5z
> 
> Apologies if the German is not correct - I can speak some German but it hasn't involved many Royal declarations!


End file.
